Abstract
The adoption of carbohydrate-restrictive diets to improve health is increasing in popularity, but there is a dearth of research on individuals who choose to severely restrict or entirely exclude carbohydrates. The present study investigated the beliefs and experiences of individuals following a diet that severely limits, or entirely excludes, dietary carbohydrates, colloquially known as a ‘zero-carb’ diet, for at least 6 months. Zero-carb dieters (n = 170) recruited via a social networking site completed an online qualitative survey prompting them to discuss their motives, rationale, and experiences of following a low-carb diet. Transcripts of participants’ responses were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results revealed that participants’ decision to follow a zero-carb diet was driven by health concerns and benefits. Participants expressed a strong social identity and belongingness to online zero-carb communities. Participants reported strong intentions to follow the diet indefinitely. Shortcomings of the diet centered on experienced stigma; lack of support from healthcare providers and significant others; limited access to, and high cost of, foods; and limited scientific data on the diet. Further research into the benefits and shortcomings of zero-carb diets across settings and populations is warranted, and guidelines for healthcare professionals on how to support individuals following a zero-carb diet are needed.
Highlights
Other research claims that the relations between red meat consumption and increased risk of chronic disease are based on low-quality evidence [8]; and that meat consumption provides a plethora of health benefits [9,10]
The present study explored the beliefs and experiences of people eating a zero-carb diet for a minimum of six months using an online qualitative survey method distributed via Twitter, a social media platform
Future research should consider pro-active recruitment strategies that reach zero-carb dieters who do not engage with social media and those who do not tend to respond to unsolicited requests for participation
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Other research claims that the relations between red (including processed) meat consumption and increased risk of chronic disease are based on low-quality evidence [8]; and that meat consumption provides a plethora of health benefits [9,10]. Against this backdrop of inconsistent evidence and ongoing debates on the harms and benefits of animal-sourced food and fat consumption [11], some populations have been reducing their carbohydrate consumption for health reasons, leading to the popularity of low-carbohydrate and ketogenic-type diets [12]. For an overview of the online survey method, see Braun, Clarke, Boulton, Davey, and McEvoy [24]
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